Reflections
by writermarie
Summary: Mirrors never lie....Abbey gets a good look at the man who will be President


"Reflections" Part 1/1  
by Marie Rossiter (jonrie@a...)  
Rating: PG  
Spoilers: absolutely none  
Characters: Abbey/Jed (Abbey's POV, though)  
Feedback: absolutely, if you'd like  
I think I followed the rules: NO MS, NO RE-ELECTION, NO DEAL..none   
mentioned at all.  
  
  
We've been ready for this moment for months,years really. Well, the   
rest of us were ready for this long before he was, but I knew he   
would come around. He was born to do this job.   
I'll admit, I was hesitant at first and I had no shortage of   
reasons. But, after his tour of the House of Representatives and   
then winning the governor's seat in New Hampshire, I knew we would   
wind up here. I could see it in Leo's eyes from the moment my   
husband was sworn in as governor. I even said to him, "Leo, this is   
the start of something much bigger, isn't it." He didn't give me an   
answer in words, but I could see it written all over his face. I   
knew I didn't have a chance.  
It took us long enough to convince him that it was his time   
to step into the ring. For a man of such intellect and speaking   
ability, my husband's confidence takes a lot of work to build up.   
He's not a born politician, he never has been. But, with the support   
of his staff, he does a damn good job at being just that. I guess   
Leo's motto of "Fake it `til you make it" has finally hit home. I   
always knew that my husband would get here. Now that he's made it, I   
think he's finally come to terms with it himself.  
I think I could event tell you the exact moment when   
he "resigned" himself to the fact that he's wound up in the highest   
office in the country, perhaps even the world. Standing on the   
Capitol building steps, basking in an unusually brilliant and warm   
January sun, my husband accepted the responsibility that the American   
people have graciously given to him.  
"I, Josiah Bartlet, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully   
execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the   
best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of   
the United States."   
From the moment those words were spoken, so clearly and   
eloquently--I could see that he was truly ready. His speech sealed   
the deal. He captivated all in attendance, even those who have   
become his biggest skeptics. They can say all they want about Jed   
Bartlet, but you can not dispute his ability to reach the people.   
Through his words and passion, he can touch the souls of thousands in   
a single sentence. It is a sight to behold.  
Now comes the part I know Jed does not anticipate quite as   
eagerly: our required attendance at the various (and numerous)   
inaugural balls. To be honest, I'm not a party person, either. But,   
Jed truly does not enjoy putting on social airs, for anyone.  
As I walk into our new bedroom, I notice Jed trying to adjust   
the white tie of his tuxedo. He doesn't notice me as I walk in, and   
I'm glad. I don't get moments like this very often: to see him truly   
as himself and not putting on some sort of fa硤e for his staff, the   
press or me, for that matter. He's usually quite adept at tying his   
own tie, but this evening is an exception. He's struggling a bit,   
and I confess it's amusing to watch.  
He's facing the mirror and muttering to himself. I simply   
stand and smile. He's more handsome now than he was the day we were   
married 30 years ago. Yes, there are lines and wrinkles that come   
with the natural progression of life. Hell, marriage and children   
are enough to make the toughest man show a little wear and tear. I   
think considering the fact that we've been through as much as we   
have, he's holding up rather well. He wears his life experience like   
a pro.   
Round three with the tie. Wow. He really must be tense. I   
probably should be bailing him out by now, but I can't quite bring   
myself to do it, at least not yet.  
The last time I saw him like this was when he gave Elizabeth   
away on her wedding day. Jed takes the roll of "Dad" very seriously,   
sometimes too much so. What most people, including Elizabeth, never   
knew was how difficult it was for him that day. He smiled, walked   
proudly beside his "little girl" and performed the duties of Father   
of the Bride with grace and dignity. Inside, however, he was simply   
a wreck. Whenever we were together, he would take my hand and   
squeeze-- hard! He wouldn't even look at me; he just squeezed. I   
would just stand there, in silence and squeeze back, our own nonverbal   
conversation: SQUEEZE: "Abbey, I need you." RECIPRICAL   
SQUEEZE: "I'm right here, Jed. Hold on tight."  
And he did. And somehow, we got through that day.  
The image of Jed in the mirror that I am looking at right now   
is a reflection of all the things that are so good and so right about   
us. I'm drinking in all I can; because I know in my heart that it   
won't be this good for a long time. Our responsibilities will keep   
us on separate paths for the better part of four, and more than   
likely eight, years. I'm going to miss seeing him like this.   
I'm going to miss staying up late in the evening: talking,   
laughing, and the various other things we do so well together until   
all hours.  
I'm going to miss waking up each morning and knowing that I   
will be in his arms.  
I'm going to miss our frequent walks in Manchester. Some   
days, we'd walk for hours, talking of literature, poetry, music, and   
soak in all the beauty that New England had put before us: the   
mountains, the lake, the leaves changing their colors in their yearly   
fireworks display. Other days, we'd walk for hours and say next to   
nothing, letting our hearts speak to one another in ways that only   
two soul mates are capable of.  
I'm going to miss sitting down to dinner as a family. Our   
girls are all in school now anyway, but we always seemed to be able   
to find a way to make time occasionally to get together, and not just   
for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  
I'm going to miss being able to take it for granted that we   
are one.  
But, for now, it's just the two of us and I'm holding onto   
this moment for as long as I can.  
Round four of the bow tie battle has begun and finally, I   
cannot help but to chuckle.  
"Abigail!" Jed admonishes, "How long have you been standing   
there?"  
"Long enough to see you are having some major issues, Mr.   
President."   
Hmm, my husband, Mr. President. That's still going to take   
some getting used to, I'm afraid.  
"Well are you just going to stand there and mock me?" he asks.  
"No." I reply simply and head over to save the day. I turn   
him around and fix his tie. "You know, Jed, this is probably the   
first of many times I'll be saving your neck in this administration."   
I tease.  
"Oh, well, thanks for the vote of confidence and the   
reminder." Jed replies, rolling his eyes.  
I turn him back around and have him take a look at my   
handiwork. He plays with the bow tie for a moment.   
"Jed! Don't! You'll mess up my masterpiece!"  
"Ok, ok," he mutters.  
He standing in front of the mirror once more and shakes his   
head.  
"What?" I ask him.  
"Nothing," he replies.  
"Liar." I say.  
"Abbey.." he starts and then trails off.  
"Josiah, look in that mirror." I wrap my arms around his   
waist and peek around from behind his shoulder. "Tell me, what you   
see."  
He humors me and actually looks. "Wow. I see my gorgeous   
wife in a knockout of a dress."  
It's about time he's noticed  
"I'm not sure I should let you out in public in that dress.   
Peoples' notion of what the First Lady is will be changed forever,"   
he tells me.  
"Well, we all know what kind of `lady' I am, anyway, so it's   
no big deal."  
"You are one hell of a lady, Abbey! Don't let me hear you say   
otherwise!" he scolds.  
I sigh. "Well, you have to admit that I don't fit the   
traditional First Lady mold, Jed."  
"I'd divorce you if you were. You're going to be amazing,   
Abbey."  
"You're changing the subject, pumpkin."   
Now it's his turn to sigh.  
"Now, answer my question, Jed. What do you see?"  
"I see a man who's scared to death."  
This I knew.  
"What else?" I prod.  
Silence  
"Wanna know what I see?"  
"No, but I'm sure you're gonna tell me anyway."   
For this, I give him a smack on the arm.  
"Ow! Damn! You know, the secret service can take you out for   
something like that!"  
"Let `em try." I warn.  
"On the other hand, forget it. I think you may be the one   
person in the world who they'd back down from."  
I grin at this.  
"What I see," I continue, wrapping my arms around him again,   
looking in his eyes through his reflection, "is the man I married,   
the father of my children, my soul mate. I see a man who is going to   
do amazing things for this country. I see a man of faith, compassion   
and conviction. I see the President of the United States and his   
First Lady and I think, `Damn, it's been a long time since the First   
Couple has looked this good!' And reflections never lie!"  
He laughs out loud. Finally.  
"You see all of those things in that reflection?" he asks,   
sincerely.  
"All that, and so much more. I'd tell you, but we'd be late."  
"Well, that's ok," he says, pulling me close to him. "You   
know, we have yet to break in our new bed."  
"You're just as bad as the day we got married." I tell him.  
He smiles and pulls me into a kiss, one that's deep,   
penetrating and very tempting.  
"Later, Jed.." I plead.  
"There may not be a later" he pleads right back.  
Don't I know it.   
He pulls away from me. "You do look amazing, you know."  
"So, let's go show ourselves off, shall we?" I offer him my   
arm and we're out the door.  
The limo ride over to the main ball is only a few moments,   
but it's our few moments. Just Jed and Abbey  
As the car door is opened, Jed looks at me.  
"Abbey, in case I haven't told you lately, I love you."  
"And I love you, Josiah. Now, let's go..the world is waiting   
to see you."  
"The world is waiting to see us, Abbey."  
I smile and nod, "They just want to shred me and the outfit   
I'm wearing"  
"Well, I don't think that'll happen tonight." He's smiling   
and more relaxed. My job is donefor tonight.  
We step out of the car and are blinded by the flash of   
hundreds of cameras. Briefly, we're stuck in this moment in time.   
Jed stands right beside me, looking strong and confident.  
Then, I feel it. It's faint, but it's there. A slight   
squeeze of my right hand.  
"Abbey, I need you."  
I respond in kind with a slight squeeze of my own.   
"I'm right here, Jed. Hold on tight."  
  
The End.


End file.
